10 Getaways That Combine City Adventure with Country Charm

Atlanta to Blue Ridge

ATLANTA

It's hard to call Atlanta a hidden gem since the vibrant city is home to a population of 5.7 million. But when it comes to combining the energy of a big city with southern hospitality, Atlanta has a lot more to offer than many people think. Stay in the lap of luxury at the Mandarin Oriental and take a stroll through the renowned Botanical Gardens before indulging in an Atlanta staple with a hot dog or burger at Varsity. FOX theatre is the spot for big name concerts and Broadway shows, while Lakewood is a great outdoor concert venue hosting everyone from Snoop Dogg to Dierks Bentley in 2016. A picnic at Piedmont Park isn't complete without the best biscuits in the city at Callie's Hot Little Biscuit. Other restaurants worth checking out include 4th and Swift in the famed Fourth Ward and Rathbun's for classic American fare.

Travel Note: From Atlanta it's an easy and scenic 90-mile drive via I-575 to the small old railroad town of Blue Ridge in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains with plenty of photo opps along the way as you go through Chattahoochee.